AIM Guards flooded into the area where the Quinn Jet had carved out a crater into the building's structure. Most were armed with standard issue pulse rifles but a few had lugged massive stationary machine guns onto the walkways, the rapid firing accelerated plasma guns were capable of ripping through the toughest defences, giving their wielders a false sense of security. As they set up defensive positions three more senior AIM members stood on the top of the tower as a hologram of the Scientist Supreme flickered in front of them
"Agent 761 report." the hologram asked, "Who infiltrated this facility?"
"The Shocker, Vantage and Bison, we believe that they are acting on SHIELD's orders." the agent announced, "There was a forth contact too but we have not been able to identify her."
"A pity." the hologram replied, "Such a waste of a good agent." he said. Seconds later Agent 761 exploded in a meaty explosion showering the other two agents who stood motionless not acknowledging their comrades death. "What is the status of loading operations onto Arkady's ships."
"Two are fully packed and have left, the third is ready to depart, but we seem to be having trouble reaching the men stationed at the dock control room." one of the agent's announced, "I thought it prudent to send a team down to investigate."
"You thought it prudent?" the hologram replied as the AIM agent detonated. "You do as we say. You." he called to the last agent standing, "Do you have anything to tell me?" he asked.
"Nothing Sir, we await your orders." the agent said sharply. "Good." the hologram answered before flickering out of view. The agent turned and pointed to the tower where the Thunderbolts had taken cover, gesturing for a six man squad to investigate. Inside the tower Shocker twisted his gauntlet to a low setting and energized the slice of fabric that Vantage was wrapping round her arm.
"Okay here goes nothing." she breathed, "If this works stay close you don't want to get lost in there."
"Where?" Bison asked as Dallas fired a pulse of energy at the wall creating a dark vortex on the stone work. Quickly she walked inside and nervously Bison followed with Shocker bringing up the rear the portal closing behind him. "Okay this is creepy." Bison muttered as Dallas led the way delicately moving through the field of darkness before stopping.
"That fabric was part of a dark-force suit used by a Thunderbolt know as Smuggler, he used to transport himself through this dimension so he could cover long distances almost instantly. The costume was destroyed but fragments like this one." she said indicting the fabric wrapped round her arm, "Are still active for a short period of time when energized. Here this is our exit." she announced ripping a hole that led into a corridor in the facility, electric lights glaring as the three Thunderbolts left the other dimension. As the portal closed the fabric caught alight quickly burning to a crisp, Shocker felt something in his throat, and rolled his mask back before throwing up on the floor. Seconds later Bison and Vantage followed suit, the sickness obviously a side-affect of travelling through the Dark Force Dimension.
"We've located the intruders." a voice said as a quartet of AIM Agents swam into view. "Send reinforcements to Sector 0, I repeat we have intruders under guard in Sector 0." the squad leader called, "Blast it something is blocking our communications."
"Sir we have seismic disturbances increasing." a second agent informed the leader. The head AIM Agent walked over and kicked Shocker onto to his back and removing his gauntlet, "How are you doing that?" he asked the Thunderbolt.
"I'm not." Shocker replied as a crack appeared on the floor next to him. The AIM agent noticed it too and moved to butt Shocker with his rifle but was quickly repelled with a quick shove before being knocked out as his victim reacted to his confusion. The other AIM agents opened fire but it was too late Bison squatting onto his hindquarters lunged at a pair head-slamming them into the floor. The forth called out for assistance before the floor gave way underneath him sending him falling to the level below with an almighty thump.
"Need a hand?" Abe asked Dallas as he powered up through the breach.
"I've got it." Dallas replied pulling herself up with her staff as Blizzard popped up through the hole freezing it behind him.
"You're missing one of your team." Abe announced as he surveyed the Thunderbolts.
"So you're missing two of yours." Dallas snapped.
"Tiger Shark and Mamba are securing a ride out of here, hopefully getting out will be easier then getting in." Abe explained, "Where's Scorcher we could use her close combat expertise."
"I don't know AIM's blocking the tracking software in her weapons." Dallas replied, "Where ever she is she's on her own."
Scorcher had found what she was looking for, and as she slipped the AIM Hazmat suit over her uniform she could hear the sounds of battle, probably the other Thunderbolts or possibly the arms dealers fighting AIM agents, at the moment she couldn't care she had her own work to do. While her initial reason for infiltration was to find the hostages and rescue them she had got sidetracked when she had reached a series of laboratories, their doors converted into air locks with a yellow warning sticker for mutagenic chemicals, and had decided to investigate. Inside in a thick airtight container was a slap of rock with a gleaming crystal inside, accessing the computer's in the lab the database announced that the sample had come back from the Moon with the Apollo 14 Mission and had been stolen by AIM very recently. Quickly Scorcher drew her pocket sized flamethrower and melted the case before removing the crystal and slipping it into a small box of flares mounted on her thigh.
"I can't believe my luck." she stated, "This is going to change everything." Turning to leave Scorcher closed the Air Lock and hurried after the AIM agents all of whom seemed to be heading towards the main command centre. She was tempted to incinerate a few of the nerds but decided that there was no reason to bring attention to herself now that she was dressed like the main security that infested this facility.
Tiger Shark tackled the Brigade Unit from behind the blow forcing the zombie Cyborgs claws deeper into Mamba's chest. Even though he had done more harm then good the Zombie acknowledged his attack and retracted the bone blades from Mamba before giving Tiger Shark a swift kick sending him into a box of plasma cells. Wrapping his hands around one of the cells and twisting the output node, Tiger Shark charged in again, before sinking his teeth into Brigade's chest quickly implanting the plasma cell and then leaping on top of Mamba as the cell exploded.
Placing his hands on Mamba's chest he felt the flow of blood reduce, from what little he knew about medicine he had to keep his hands on the wound to quell the bleeding. "Abe are you there?" he asked speaking into Tanya's communication's headset.
"Tiger Shark this is MACH VI, what do you need?" Abe asked.
"We got a Brigade Cybrog down here, I think I got him but Mamba's been hurt really bad." Tiger Shark replied, "I need to know how long you guys are going to be and if there is anything more then putting pressure on the wound, that I can do."
"Listen we're about to breach the control room where the kids are being held. But we don't know who or what is behind this door so it might take some time." Abe announced, "Just stay with her, keep the wound pressurized and keep her conscious, talk to her. As soon as the area is clear I'll send Vantage down with the field medical kit but until then it's all on you."
"Great." Tiger Shark replied, "Hey Mamba you still with me."
"I'm still here." Tanya replied, "I just wanted to do something right for once."
"Well hold on and maybe you will get what you want." Tiger Shark stated as Mamba tried to move, "Hold still or you'll bleed faster, I wish there was something more I could do to save you but Abe said that this is it."
"The manifest for this ship said that there was a box of temporary quick acting coagulants." Mamba said, "In a box marked Africa First." Tiger Shark turned his head and saw the box lying next to Brigade's coffin, too far for him to move without leaving Mamba. Eventually he made a decision and removed part of his chest armor, turning off the hydration unit and hoping that the metal would slow the bleeding as he placed it over the wound. Quickly he ran to the box ripping off the lid and picking up two canisters of the agent he was looking for before walking back, only to stop as something behind him moved. Looking round he saw a lithe blue skinned woman with long black hair looking back at him, instantly he knew who she was.
"Mara." he said dropping the canisters and walking over, "Mara is that really you." he asked as she wrapped her hands around him unaware of Brigade, his chest scarred and ripped open by the exploding fuel cell cocking an M9 pistol and levelling it at his head.
Abe shoulder barged the door, knowing that he was know on the clock, that every second wasted pushed Black Mamba closer to death. As the wood splintered he opened fire with the blasters as Shocker and Vantage pushed in behind him adding pistol shots and energy blasts to the mix. Most of the enemies inside were taken down in the first blast but a few of the AIM Agents and Arkady's Arms Dealers stood their ground before being taken down as the Thunderbolts muscled into the room. As the dust settled Abe saw the Scientist Supreme and Arkady in the centre of the chamber vanish, the hologram matrix projecting the images shut down by the collapsing body of an AIM Agent.
"MACH over here." Bison called as he and Blizzard secured a few quivering defenders at the end of a long room adjoining the control room. Walking down Abe saw what Bison had seen, the chamber was lit by green tubes each containing one of the hostages in a fluid filled sack. Under each chamber was a name of a hero Abe passed by plaques baring the names of Spider Man, Captain America and The Thing before reaching the end where a tube lay empty. "The Green Goblin." Abe whispered, "So you got your legacy in the end Norman."
"Should we drain the tanks?" Blizzard asked, "There could be complications since none of us have been strapped in one of these and AIM wasn't kind enough to leave a manual behind."
"Blizzard carve a path back to the ship and take Vantage with you. I'll see what I can find here that will help us move the hostages." Abe ordered as his armor inserted a tendril into the computer network. "Okay." he said a couple of minutes later, "Bison, Shocker if we drain the tanks, protocol kicks in and kills the hostages. Only Osborne and I guess MODOK now have the sequence to unlock the safeties. However manual removal won't do a thing as long as we get them out of the tank's fast enough."
"Manual Removal, that's smash and grab right?" Bison asked, "Because that I'm good at." he said walking over to the fist tank and smashing his fist through the glass before removing the child inside. Moments later the child moved and wiggled out of the sack hacking and coughing but physically unharmed. "Listen kid." Abe announced, "We're with SHIELD so I need you to stay with us so we can get out of here." As soon as the words left his mouth Abe knew the kid was going to bolt, the child accelerating off at phenomenal speed.
"Quicksilver huh." Shocker read the plaque under the broken tank. "You really have a way with kids MACH VI."
"And you about to find a way to get him back here." Abe ordered, "Bison stop removing the hostages for the moment. I think I have a way to keep anymore running off."
Tanya blinked, the fist movement she had been able to do for a while, struggling she sat up, using the wall as handholds although the heavy chest piece on her thorax burnt as she moved. Tapping against her hand was a canister and slowly and delibratly she sprayed the contents under the chest piece, the burning sensation replaced with what felt like a swarm of ants crawling in her midriff. Looking down the cargo hold she saw a tattered looking Brigade line up a shot on Tiger Shark, the aquatic villain wrapped in a shroud of darkness that was instantly recognizable.
"I've missed you." Mara told Tiger Shark, "You're the only man I loved."
"I never thought this day would come." Tiger Shark replied as his breathing grew more shallow, "No woman from the surface or Atlantis could compare to you."
"Todd." Tanya yelled, "Snap out of it, she's only an illusion." Brigade turned and fired a shot at her, the round missing her head by inches.
"Did you hear that?" Tiger Shark remarked pulling away from Mara.
"I heard nothing." Mara replied, "Stay with me." she pleaded as Todd almost got free of her clutches.
"I'll stay," he told her, "if you stay."
"I will always be with you." Mara said stroking his dorsal fin. "You're my husband."
"Todd she's killing you." Tanya cried throwing the empty canister of blood coagulant, the improvised missile flying through Mara's head. Tiger Shark turned and let loose a low growl before advancing on Mamba completely ignoring Brigade as the shadowy blot of darkness attempted to hold him back. "Please stay with me." Mara cried as Todd advanced on Tanya the injured Thunderbolt picking up the dropped BXP as Brigade advanced behind the lovers.
"Todd it's not real she's dead." Tanya announced fitting a rifle grenade on the end of the BXP.
"I know." Tiger Shark growled before letting loose a massive growl and throwing the shadow off him, the form of Mara dissolving revealing Brigade behind them. Tanya opened fire the grenade impacting on Brigade's shoulder causing him to stumble. Turning Todd ran following Mamba up the ladder and onto the main deck closing the hatch as Brigade climbed up after them.
"I see your better." Vantage mused surprising the two Thunderbolts as Blizzard lifted himself and her up onto the deck with an icy set of steps. She dismounted and leaned on one of the heavy machine guns positioned on the deck looking at Black Mamba trying to figure out what damage if any she had suffered.
"It's only temporary and we have another problem." she announced as Brigade slammed his fist through the hatch and emerged scowling onto the deck. "Targets Assalis, Todd and Rhioden, Dallas must be catalogued." Brigade growled, "Target Gill, Donald has no abilities worth harvesting."
"Basted." Blizzard cursed quickly freezing Brigade in a block of ice. "Nothing worth harvesting my cute frozen ass." Brigade's eyes glowed and the ice melted before it stepped forward as Tiger Shark charged the Cyborg, a stinger embedding in his fist as Brigade met the charge and stabbed the appendage inside. "Subject Assalis, Todd acquired, abilities will be used passively to enhance this unit's damage thresholds."
"Let's see how you take this." Dallas yelled opening fire with the machine gun as Blizzard and Black Mamba joined in peppering Brigade with sharpened icicles and rounds from the BXP. Brigade staggered and fell to his knees before a machine gun round took off his head and smashed his core processor, the Cyborg falling to the floor motionless. "And stay down." Mamba yelled before wincing, "Okay maybe all this action wasn't good for my chest but at least we won."
"Well let's keep it that way." Tiger Shark snarled picking up Brigade's torso. "Blizzard take the head I know just where to put this." he growled.
Shocker ran down the myriad of corridors after the child, his path clear by the burn marks on the floor and the stream of unconscious AIM Agents. While he was fairly confident that a low level blast would stun the kid, and that his aim was good he didn't know if he would be able to hit such a fast moving target. Stalking round the next corner he found the child backed up against a wall as a pair of Arkady's Thugs pointed AK-74s at him, chuckling about something hilarious in Arabic. Shocker fired catching the first thug and then the second causing them to fall to their knees before succumbing to a pair of swift punches.
"Listen Kid I'm on your side honest." Shocker said removing his mask, "We need to get your back home to your folks."
"You're the Shocker." the kid stated, "You're a bad guy."
"Yeah I'm the Shocker but I've turned over a new lead." Shocker reasoned, "The Director of SHIELD chose me specially to lead the mission to save you and the others."
"You're a criminal your lying." the kid yelled getting ready to run, "Your going to take me back to the bad people so they can experiment on me."
"Nah that's not me." Shocker replied, "I knocked two of them out plus a whole load of Beekeepers, if I was one of the bad people then I'd be working with them."
"You promise." the kid asked.
"Sure thing buddy or my name isn't Herman which unfortunately it is." Shocker announced, "Scout's Honor cross my heart and hope to be carted of to the Raft. So you want to get out of here and back to your parents." The kid nodded before running up to Shocker and walking alongside him staring at his gauntlet periodically making sure that the Thunderbolt didn't betray his trust.
"Abe I've got the kid and we're heading back how is everyone else?" he asked.
"We're getting there. Bison just broke the last tank and I managed to get through to the children's parents so they could explain that we're here to help. I also located Scorcher, claims she's been turning off the facilities air defences but since we're not escaping by air it doesn't matter." Abe announced, "We're heading back to the boat at the water gate but I did activate the facilities emergency lighting follow the blue lights and you'll find us in no time."
"Here that kid, follow the blue lights." Shocker announced staring at the mix of yellow and purple lights. "Great now where are they he complained."
Five minutes later Shocker had found the control room and from there it was only a matter of following the blue lights and icy slides down to the water gate where a fast patrol boat sat staring out through open gates as Tiger Shark bobbed up after ripping the anchor out of it's mount. "Shocker you made it." Abe yelled, "Get onboard quickly AIM has been attempting to override the doors and defence network and my armor only has the computing power to only go another four or five rounds with those genius. Shocker nodded and watched as Tiger Shark crawled up the gang plank onto the top deck before heading for the bridge.
"Okay kid let's go." Shocker told the boy.
"It's Ryan." the kid announced as he headed for the gang plank Shocker covering his six. Groaning up in the control room 'Smitty' rubbed his head before looking down at the boat full of Thunderbolts, the former hostages having been moved down into the small crew space and galley below decks. Wrapping his hand's round his rifle he fired, accelerated energy slashing through Ryan knocking him off the plank and into the dock. Shocker jumped in after him as the Patrol Boat sprang into life and the dim thud of the deck machine gun firing could be heard. Grabbing Ryan, Shocker kicked to the surface as Abe hovered over head before reaching down and pulling them both out of the water and landing them on the deck.
"Ryan, god he's not breathing." Shocker yelled, "Dallas I need help over here."
Dallas sprinted over as Bison threw Abe the field medical kit, the later removing a pair of defibrillators and an electronic pulse reader but it was all ultimately too late, Ryan was dead, probably before he even hit the water. Shocker sat back and glared at the AIM facility in the distance. "I hope those guys burn in hell." he snarled.
"Don't worry they will." Abe announced, "Tiger Shark buried Brigade's fuel cells in the reactor room. Once they blow the power goes off and the emergency safe guards go on, the whole plant will be contained by force fields and the main building sterilized. They should have five minutes to vacate the building I chose to give them two."
"Not good enough." Shocker replied, "Not by far."
"Well bottle that up, the hard part of the mission is about to begin." Abe ordered.
"What hard part?" Bison asked
"The part where we give the kids back, from what I hear their parents have told the media and everyone has gathered to see you guys." Abe informed them, "Congratulations you all just became bonna-fide heros."